Hi all and Biotom in particular.On reading the procedure for doing pump washing it says to do 3 static washes before doing the pump washes. For the pump washes it says not to add more than 5-7% water but doesn't say what the water percentage is for the static washes.Perhaps I have missed it somewhere.Also hot water is recommended, if I were to heat the biodiesel and wash with water at ambient temp how would this work?

The primary consideration when using a vigorous washing method is to be certain that none of the glycerine by product ends up in the wash cycle as this is what will cause emulsions. That and if you have a severely incomplete reaction.

If you can get the biodiesel , sans glycerine, in a wash tank you can be as vigorous as you want with it and it will inevitably always separate well.

Washing with very hot water will speed up the process, but is not absolutely mandatory; ambient will work too. Washing hot will allow you to dry quicker when using air flow to evaporate the residual water.

The glycerine layer is for all intents and purposes an almost finished soap concentrate and as such if allowed into the wash cycle will pretty much guarantee an emulsion as that soap is churned around in the impeller and mixed into the biodiesel. Keep it out of the picture and churn away. The water and oil will easily separate.